Monday, June 19, 2017

Weekly Discoveries

Norah Jones's version of Black Hole Sun is definitive proof that her voice can turn any piece of music into something sultry and poetic. I haven't listened to Norah in some time, and now I'm reminded why she was so popular back in the day.

It turns out the band OK Go, a band I'd never heard of until last week, is the definitive champion of music videos. For me, it all started with The One Moment Video, which is an impossibly timed creation. I then started poking around their account and learned that this amazing video is merely par for the course. A few other examples: Upside Down & Inside Out and I Won't Let You Down. Seriously, how do they do all that sans green screens and CGI? My only criticism of OK Go: their videos aren't ideal to work to. To appreciate them, you've got to give them your full attention. But man, is it worth it.

Bleacher's Don't Take The Money and Big Data's Dangerous, are both way over the top videos that are hilarious and remarkable creations in their own right. Dangerous is definitely leaning towards earning itself an R rating, but it's just too perfectly executed to not include it on the list.

Aaron Lee Tasjan's Hard Life contains the perfect line: They give you loose gravel and call it rocksteady. I'm not exactly sure what genre Tasjan falls into: country? folk? I don't suppose it matters, all the does is that he's a fun listen.

Nikki Lane, for me, had two notable songs: Jackpot and Forever Lasts Forever. The first is a fun tune about winning at the gamble of love. The second tune, despite what the title suggests, is a sad song about divorce and the end of a relationship. While the latter may be a better song, I can't help but put the former on my discoveries this week. What, with my wedding anniversary coming up, it seems to apply quite well.